Wilmar Sugar and Renewables informed over 1200 wage employees on Tuesday that anyone participating in industrial action from the beginning of shifts on Wednesday morning will face a lockout until further notice. This means affected employees will not receive payment until the lockout is lifted, reported local media.
The lockout excludes workers not engaging in industrial action or those who wish to resume their full duties without imposing bans or participating in any further industrial action starting tomorrow morning. Members of three unions, AWU, AMWU, and ETU, have implemented work bans and rolling stoppages at the company’s nine factories since mid-May to support demands for an 18 per cent pay rise (recently reduced from 22 per cent).
This industrial action has caused delays in essential maintenance and preparatory work at the factories ahead of the 2024 sugar season, resulting in a postponement of production by over a week. The unions have indicated their intention to continue rolling stoppages and bans, including overtime bans, for at least another week, causing further delays and impacting growers, contractors, and the community. A company spokesperson emphasised that the decision to lock out employees was not made lightly. We respect employees’ rights to union membership and lawful industrial action, he stated. However, the company also has the right under the Fair Work Act to respond to prolonged industrial action to protect its interests.
The company has been actively engaging with bargaining agents for the employees and has even sought assistance from the Fair Work Commission.
